


stay, stay, stay

by troubledsouls



Category: Trench - Twenty One Pilots (Album), Twenty One Pilots
Genre: DEMA (Twenty One Pilots)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-13
Updated: 2019-02-13
Packaged: 2019-10-27 12:22:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 418
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17766710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/troubledsouls/pseuds/troubledsouls
Summary: It’s hard for him to accept that he is beautiful when Josh reciprocates. He knows that part of healing is accepting the compliments that Josh gives him, but it’s so hard. It’s so hard.





	stay, stay, stay

**Author's Note:**

  * For [holdingnotoyou](https://archiveofourown.org/users/holdingnotoyou/gifts).



> someday i will write longer bandito joshler

It’s not home. 

Tyler has to keep telling himself that. He has to keep telling himself that Dema isn’t home, because otherwise the concept will make its way into his brain and make itself a nest. In some ways it already has. The concept of Dema circles around his mind and settles into the place its made for itself inside of his thoughts. It tries to invade his concept of home, his concept of self. 

He can’t let it do that. 

Sometimes, Tyler thinks it would be easier for it all to end. In his mind, there’s no point in continuing when all of his efforts never lead to anything. There’s no change, there’s no moving forwards, he’s just caught in the push-pull cycle of escaping to Trench and getting dragged back to Dema. 

There is one change. 

Josh. 

Everything feels static and unchanging except for Josh. Josh is always doing something different, something new. He’s always changing in a world where change is punished. 

That applies to the rest of the banditos, of course, but Tyler is only in love with one of them. 

Josh is beautiful. He doesn’t deny it when Tyler tells him, when Tyler whispers it into his mouth, his neck, his collarbone, his chest, his stomach, his thighs. Tyler calls every part of Josh beautiful, because he knows it to be true. 

It’s hard for him to accept that he is beautiful when Josh reciprocates. He knows that part of healing is accepting the compliments that Josh gives him, but it’s so hard. It’s so hard. 

“Stay.” Josh says, when they’re wrapped up in each other out in Trench. “Stay.” It’s a new prayer, one to replace the vialist ones ingrained in their heads. 

“Stay.” Josh says, when they escape in the tunnels under Dema. 

“Stay.” Josh says, when they hold hands by the fire.

“Stay.” Josh says, when they hold each other inside Josh’s tent. 

“Stay, stay, stay.” Josh says, in place of Tyler’s name. 

“Stay.” Josh says, soft and sad, as Tyler begins to leave, to go out and sit by the fire. 

Tyler always has his reasoning. “I can’t let him take you too.”

“Stay.” Josh is beautiful, even when he’s pleading. 

Tyler leaves, and sits by the fire, and doesn’t fight when Nico’s hand closes around his throat and drags him back to Dema. 

It’s not home. It’s not home. It’s not home. 

He has to keep reminding himself that his real home is with Josh, out in Trench.

**Author's Note:**

> love u bo
> 
> tumblr: [nonbinaryclancy](http://nonbinaryclancy.tumblr.com)


End file.
